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Parents tell kids to skip PARCC test

Mississippi students who refuse to take this year's statewide assessment risk suspension and the loss of a high school diploma, but some parents say it's their right to opt out of controversial PARCC exams.

A March 2 letter from state Superintendent Carey Wright to school districts across Mississippi noted that parents have been asking to exempt or excuse their children from some or all of the statewide student assessments.

Wright then advises districts to provide an alternative, supervised setting for non-testing students and to submit their names and grades to the district test coordinator, who will enter it into the Pearson database.

Pearson won the Mississippi contract to administer PARCC, a series standardized tests created by the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and aligned with Common Core State Standards.

Developed as a national set of rigorous new education standards to put American school children on par with other nations, Common Core has suffered mounting criticism from parents and politicians alike who distrust its backers' motives and dislike its many tests.

Legislation in Mississippi to dismantle Common Core and end the state's alliance with PARCC likely will become law later this year. Meanwhile, though, students in grades 3-12 began taking the computer-based tests earlier this month.

Brandon Smith of Oxford said his son will not be among them. Smith told the Oxford Public School District that he and his wife, Angel, oppose PARCC testing and have instructed their fifth grader not to participate.

"I never get the see the results of the test; even the schools didn't see the scores," Brandon Smith said. "We have to take Pearson's word on what the score really was. They won't let me see the test questions, either. That's ridiculous."

The family first shared its stance at the beginning of the school year and again in January, Smith said.

In response, the district said it would assign a "disciplinary consequence" that could include in-school and out-of-school suspension for the Oxford Intermediate School student. The school begins its PARCC assessments Tuesday.

Testing will take place over the course of about 13 days and last approximately 75 minutes per day. It's unclear how long suspensions would last.

"We feel like it's retribution," Brandon Smith told The Clarion-Ledger on Monday. "It's punitive. It's intimidation. And we believe it's inconsistent following of policy in the handbook."

The Smiths now are seeking legal counsel.

Oxford school officials have met several times with the Smiths and asked them to reconsider but the family refused, said Superintendent Brian Harvey.

Oxford's policy requires students follow instructions given to them by all district personnel – from principals and teachers to bus drivers and cafeteria staff, Harvey said. Failure to do so triggers disciplinary action.

"I can't say, you know, bring your kids to school and we won't require them to take an assessment because the parents disagree with it," Harvey said. "This test is required federally and by the state, and the district is punished if we don't have at least 95 percent participation."

Harvey said the district will work with parents with legitimate reasons – such as medical or religious concerns – for exempting their children from a school-mandated activity. The Smith's objections are political, he said, and lack documentation to substantiate their claims.

"It's not that I like the PARCC assessment – I wish we had something else – but those are the decisions that have been made, and I have to follow them," Harvey said.

Smith called the district's policy inconsistent with the state's recommendation and with its own actions from last year: When his son opted out of the assessments as a fourth grader at Della Davidson Elementary, he was allowed to stay in the classroom and simply "sit and stare" while his peers tested.

He also cited other districts that will accommodate non-testing students instead of making them miss an entire day of instruction. Madison County is among them.

At least four elementary students will opt out of PARCC assessments given by the Madison County School District, confirmed Superintendent Ronnie McGehee. None will receive suspensions.

"If they remain at home and the parent writes an excused absence letter, we'll do that," McGehee said. "If they bring them in after the exam is administered, we'll do that. If they bring them to school during testing, we'll provide them a spot."

McGehee warned against test refusals, though, because doing so could lower the evaluation scores of teachers and principals, as well as harm a school's accreditation level – all of which are partially based on standardize assessment scores and participation rates.

High school students who opt out of the assessments also risk their diplomas. Mississippi currently requires students pass four subject-area tests, which this year are part of the PARCC, in order to graduate.

The Mississippi Department of Education did not immediately comment on the Oxford situation, but Wright's letter said school districts are not required to provide alternative activities to students who opt out of tests and suggests that districts handle the cases individually.

"Local school districts have their own policies, which MDE does not govern," said MDE spokeswoman Patrice Guilfoyle.

Smith said he hopes Oxford changes its mind.

"I would like for the district and the school to accept the parents' refusal of this test," he said, "because we as parents hold the right to this child – not the state, the district or the school."